Cursor pointing devices for computers are known in the art, the most common of which is a mouse. Typically, "mice" were peripheral devices kept on the side of the computer and often required a pad along which to slide. With the popularity of laptop computers and their continual reductions in size and weight, other types of mice have been produced.
FIG. 1, to which reference is now made, illustrates a laptop computer 10 with a further type of cursor pointing device 12, known as a touchpad pointing device, and two selecting buttons 14. Although not shown, touchpad pointing devices can also be implemented as external devices connectable to a laptop or desktop computer.
The touchpad pointing device 12 typically is a flat pad which identifies the location of a finger, labeled 16, thereon relative to the edges of the pad (i.e. absolute) or to the previous position (i.e. relative) of finger 16. The touchpad pointing device 12 also includes hardware (not shown) which translates the current position (absolute or relative) to a position on the screen. Thus, as the finger 16 sketches a curve 20 on touchpad pointing device 12, a cursor 22 follows a similar curve 24 on a screen 26 of laptop computer 10. When the user has brought cursor 22 to a desired location, such as above the word "FILE" as shown, he executes the action by either pressing one of buttons 14 or tapping on touchpad pointing device 12.